34th Sunday Year B
Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love archives
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34th or Last Sunday of the Year
Lectionary Readings for the 34th Sunday, Year B
http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/christ-the-king-b.html
“My kingdom does not belong to this world.”
In the public ministry of our Lord, His noble
deeds of healing, teaching and preaching attracted
much the people’s attention. He became popular
to the point that many wanted to make Him king.
But He would always withdraw from the crowds
whenever the people wanted to make Him leader
among them. We only have to remember what the
biblical scholars teach us of what Jesus did
when the Evil One tempted Him to have the power
and riches of the world. He said “No” to the
Evil One. And during those times that people
wanted Him to be a king, He consistently said
that same “No” - for He knew that His Kingdom
was not of this world.
In his teaching and preaching about the kingdom
of God, Jesus told the people that the kingdom
of God is within us. When He teaches this, we
get to know that Jesus is our King - the ruler
of our hearts, our minds, and our souls. Our
whole being is subjected to His Kingship. And
the more we commit ourselves to His kingship,
the more rightly we relate to the world and other
people. And Jesus is our example and leader in
how we are to also say “No” to the elements of
the world that is not in conjunction to His
teachings and leadership. It is a big challenge
for us as we are called to work in the world
and sanctify the world through the strength
and grace the Lord gives us through prayer and
the sacraments.
In this Sunday’s solemnity of Christ the King,
let us reflect and see how much we really have
recognized Jesus as the King of our lives. Did
we really live committed lives of obeying Christ
our King? How many times have we followed what
is not of His Kingdom? Do we live lives that
is in accord with the Spirit of Christ? If ever
we have failed in this endeavour, let us seek
the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness, and renew our
commitment to Him and His Kingdom. Jesus is
the King of Mercy - the Divine Mercy. Even
though how many times we have failed Him and
pursued things that are not of His Kingdom, if
we repent, become contrite, seek sorrow for our
sins, and return to values of His Kingdom, then
He will for certain, out of His goodness and
great mercy, bring us back to Him and His
Kingdom.
31st Sunday Year B
33rd Sunday Year B
Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love archives
http://enkindlefire.blogspot.com/
33rd Sunday Year B
Lectionary Readings for the 33rd Sunday, Year B
http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/33rd-sunday-b.html
“…Heavens and earth will pass away, but my
words will not.”
As we approach the end of the liturgical year,
the readings remind us of the end times - that
time when the gospel tells us of “the Son of
Man coming in the clouds with great power and
glory.” It is this end time that St. Paul speaks
often in his letter to the Thessalonian community.
And it is also the end time in which the other
writers of the gospel also speak about - especially
the other synoptic gospels [Luke and Matthew].
What this end time is we really do not know.
And when it will be, we also are not given an
idea, for even the gospel tells us “as to the
exact day or hour, no one knows it, neither the
angels in heaven nor even the Son, but only the
Father”. The best attitude to have to prepare
for these end times is to be like the wise virgins
in the parable told by Jesus. To prepare for the
coming of the Bridegroom, these wise virgins
bought more oil so that they will have extra
supply. And they were indeed counted as wise
for the bridegroom did not arrive sooner than
they expected.
Many of us often get alarmed when we hear of
disasters, wars, and moral degeneration. These
events often remind us of the end time that Jesus
was speaking about: a time of judgment and of
reckoning. But Jesus tells us: “the heavens
and the earth will pass away, but My words
will not”. As long as we continue to pray,
have faith in Him, obey the teachings of the
Church, and serve and do good to as many people
as we can, then we need not fear when the time
of the Son of Man arrives. Like the wise virgins
in the parable, God’s Word(s) in our heart, will
help lead us to His mercy. And if deemed
worthy, we shall receive the crown of eternal
life.
32nd Sunday Year B
Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love archives
http://enkindlefire.blogspot.com/
32nd Sunday Year B
Lectionary Readings for the 32nd Sunday, Year B
http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/32nd-sunday-b.html
“…She gave from her want, all that she had to
live on.”
The story of a young man of Assisi, who renounced
all his inheritance, to live as an itinerant beggar
preaching about the Good News, is still immortalized
in such films as “Brother Sun, Sister Moon”. His
life story teaches us the value of placing God over
material possessions. It is a story of charity -
an example of great love for God and a lesson of
complete trust in the Lord’s providential care.
The value of placing God over material possessions
is what this Sunday’s gospel speaks about. It tells
us of a widow, who put into the collection box,
all that she had to live on. We see such great trust;
such great faith and hope that God will take care
of her - because she had placed all her trust in
Him. And Jesus taught His disciples that this
widow’s act of charity is greater than those who
put in sizable amounts from their surplus wealth.
The Christian life is a life of charity. Just
as what St. Francis and the widow in the gospel
did, we too are called to live our lives in charity.
For many, this may mean giving much of what they
have, to others who have less. But charity need
not be only in terms of material things. It can
also mean being present to others: listening to
their problems and giving a word of wisdom that
may help enlighten their situation. It can mean
giving more time for those we serve: the sick,
the elderly, the youth, or anyone who needs
our help or assistance in the present moment.
And it can mean taking great patience in solving
other peoples’ problems: either professionally
or informally.
The greatness of how much we have pleased God
depends on the greatness of our charity. When
Jesus saw what the poor widow did, He was so
pleased with her action that He made the widow
as an example for His disciples to learn about.
Most of us who are young and still strong, truly
will see how much we lack the great trust and
faith that the poor widow has shown. If this
poor widow could place in the collection box
everything she had to live on, would we not
have the same strength to do the same? Let us
take more time to reflect on the message of
this Sunday’s gospel, and see in what simple
ways we can follow that spirit of great faith,
trust and charity, that the poor widow has
exemplified by donating her two small copper
coins. What wisdom can we learn from this
that we can apply prudently in our Christian
living?
31st Sunday Year B
Lectionary Readings for 31st Sunday, Year B
http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/31st-sunday-b.html
